The opposition Forum for Democratic Change, FDC has demanded for the release of its members who are being held in the Democratic Republic of Congo.
Harold Kaija, the party deputy secretary general says Sam Mugumya, Aggrey Kamukama, Steven Mugisha, Nathan Bright and Joseph Kamugisha were arrested nearly two years ago, and will be facing Congolese court martial on charges of aiding ADF rebels.
The party insists the members are victims of political persecution here in Uganda and were arrested while trying to run for their lives.
“Mugumya Sam and others were arrested while escaping political persecution in Uganda where they were facing a number of politically motivated charges like treason and general harassment from the state” said Kaija.
Kaija told the press in Najjanankumbi this morning that the party was shocked to hear that the gentlemen are on a list of ADF detainees in Congo prisons and that they are to be transferred to Beni in Eastern Congo to appear before the Court Martial over ADF rebel related activities.
“As a party, we are concerned about our five members from Rukungiri district who have been in detention for about two years in Ndolo Military prison in Kinshasa without trial under very shameful, inhuman, degrading conditions that do not benefit individuals running away from political persecution. Our sources tell us that during the recent visit and meeting of presidents Kabila and Museveni in Kasese, our colleagues could have been traded for selfish political reasons” Kaija added.
The party now demands that the five gentlemen be brought back to Uganda and if they have any cases to answer, be tried under the Ugandan Judicial system.
“We consider the attempt by the Congolese government to court-martial them as an abuse of international law since after all, as a party and their families are not formally informed about this trial for purposes of preparing their defense.”
The party says it will on Tuesday next week deliver a petition to the Congolese Embassy in Uganda over the same matter.
